A Warm Welcome

Hello! Welcome to If That Dish Could Talk, my new food blog and labor of love.

My last name is entirely Italian, “DeMichele,” but I am actually half Italian, half Irish. Both sides of my family come steeped in culinary tradition. Growing up, Mom would cook my Irish grandmother’s casseroles and cookies, the hearty recipes my great grandmother made during the Depression. Dad learned how to cook from my Italian great grandmother, my Nonnie. Heart and tummy-warming soups (chicken, lentil, white bean and smoked ham, you name it) were always a winter staple, and let’s not forget my family’s four-generation old recipe for tomato sauce. If the DeMichele family is known for one thing, it is certainly our tomato sauce and meatballs.

While the very act of cooking is rich with nostalgic memories, I also treat my kitchen as my science lab. I experiment! Honestly, I know I’ve created a masterpiece when my kitchen is a complete and utter mess.

This is my kitchen (squeaky clean right as I moved in):

Yes, I live in a little studio in Boston. My dining table simultaneously functions as my chopping space. Interestingly enough, the tiny space has become endearing. It keeps me on my toes and makes cooking that much more fun and lively.

For my readers, here are a few things I believe:

• I believe in using fresh, simple ingredients to make a nutritious meal packed with flavor.
• I believe in growing your produce and/or attending your local farmer’s market when possible.
• I believe in cultivating beautiful memories in the kitchen, even when failures (inevitably) occur. 
• Most importantly, I believe everyone can cook and find their specialty recipes. 

Every dish has a story. My hope is to share many of these stories with you.